Heddle frame for looms



Oct 26, 1954 A- BLICKENSTORFER 2,692,619

HEDDLE FRAME FOR LOOMS Filed Dec. 16, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l 7 L7], I 1 5Fwy "W 5 \H r: ,l

Oct. 26, 1954 A. BLICKENSTORFER 7 2,692,619

HEDDLE FRAME FOR LOOMS Filed Dec. 16, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TORflL BE/PZ'BZ/CIfMTOR/ZR Patented Oct. 26, 1954 HEDDLE FRAME FOR LOOMSAlbert Blickenstorfer, Horgen, Switzerland, assignor to E. Froehlich A.G., Horgen, Switzerland, a corporation of Switzerland ApplicationDecember 16, 1949, Serial N 0. 133,444

Claims priority, application Switzerland December 21, 1948 4 Claims.

1 The present invention deals with heddle structures for looms.

The heddle frames having metal staves of sections, known up to thepresent, have only proved themselves in practice if they are equippedwith thick side supports of wood of corresponding breadth and matched tothe parts of the dobbies. These side supports of wood normally have awidth of 16 mm. With heddle frames intended for looms having a weavingbreadth of 170 cm. and more or with looms for the manufacture of heavyfabrics of even less width, the breadth of the side support must beincreased up to 40 mm. Such wooden side supports have, however, thedisadvantage that the decrease of the effective width of the heddleframe entailed thereby often does not allow the full utilization of thewidth of fabric, 1. e. the next wider loom type has often to be chosenin order to be able to weave a given breadth of fabric. To achieve agood connection between the metal staves and the wooden side supportsthe wooden supports have to be inserted and rigidly riveted into thehollow metal stave by corresponding moulding of a tenon therein facingthe inner side of the heddle frame and being milled for this purpose.It, therefore, goes without saying that the side supports of such heddleframes riveted in such a manner can only be detached from each otherwith much trouble and corresponding loss of time by drilling and drivingout the rivets. These operations, however, generally result in eitherthe metal staves or the wooden side support becoming unusable.

A speedy exchange of the side supports without any damage either to thestaves or the side supports is, however, often necessary in the practiceof weaving. A heddle frame the side supports of which can be exchangedwithout much loss of time has the great advantage that the weaver canalter his heddle frames in use relatively quickly for shorter or longerhealds when a possible change-over in the type of fabric pro ducedoccurs without the heddle frames or parts thereof becoming useless orpossibly having to be stored for an extended period.

As mentioned before, side supports of wood have to be stepped, i. e.made thinner at their ends to enable them to be inserted into the hollowmetal staves. In the practice of weaving the experience has been madethat wooden side supports stepped in such a manner and thus weakenedexcessively often break at the transition from the original size of thesupport to the milled tenon because of the great notching action. The2-4 rivets per corner joint located in a relatively 2 small area, whichare necessary, also lead to th formation of cracks, i. e. of splits ofthe wooden side supports at the riveting points by the transmission ofthe forces caused by the heddle frame drive elements through the stavesto the side supports. Furthermore this results in the steel rivetsworking loose in the wood and thus in the comparatively thin wall of thestave of light metal becoming beaten out at the riveting places leadingto grave damage to the heddle frame and interruptions in the weavingprocess.

These disadvantages are to be eliminated by the present invention. Thisinvention relates to a heddle frame for looms and the novelty consistsin that the staves as well as the side supports of the heddle frame areformed of sections of light metal and are provided with means forsecuring the heddle frame in operative and assembled condition withoutthe use of any tools.

In the accompanying drawings various forms of embodiment of theinvention are shown by way of example, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the heddle frame,

Fig. 2, a connection between stave and side support partly in section,

Fig. 3 is a section taken along line A-A in Fig. 2,

Fig. 4, a section taken along line BB in Fig. 2 and Fig. 5 is afragmentary elevational view partly in section showing the connectionbetween a stave and a side support with rail, embodying another form ofthe invention;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to that of Fig. 5 showing another modificationof the connection between a stave and a side support;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to that of Fig. 6 showing a still furthermodification of a connection between a stave and a side support;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to that of Fig. 6 showing still anotherembodiment of the invention, illustrating the connection between thestave and a side support in further modified form;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to that of Fig. 5 but shown on an enlargedscale and illustrating a still further modified form of the embodimentof the invention;

Fig. 10 is an end view of Fig. 9 partly in section;

Fig. 11 shows still another embodiment of the invention and is a viewsimilar to that of Fig. 9 somewhat modified;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary view similar to that of Fig. 9 showing theconnection between the stave and a side support in a still furthermodified form and made in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 13 is an end view of Fig. 12 partly in section.

With the numerals l and 2 (Fig. 1) the two staves and with the numerals3 and 4 the two side supports of the heddle frame are designated. Thestaves l and 2 are hollow in section, as is shown in Fig. 3, and arepreferably made of light metal. The side supports 3 and 4 consist, as isshown in Fig. 4, of hollow rods which are also made of light metal. Thelength of the side supports 3 and 4 depends upon the length of healds.The connection between the staves I and 2 and the side supports 3 and 4is made by means of the connecting corner piece 5, consisting preferablyof a hot-pressed light metal part. As can be seen from Fig. 2, one endof the connecting corner piece 5 is integral with and forms a rail orconnecting means 6 projecting at right angles to it, said rail being sodimensioned and reduced in thickness with respect to piece 5, that itfits tightly in and engages the walls defining the hollow stave. Theconnection of rail 6 with the corresponding stave can be frictionallyincreased, for instance, by indentations 1 formed in or struck from thematerial of said stave. The other end of the connection piece 5positioned opposite the rail 8 takes the shape of a connecting means orspigot 8 reduced in thickness for engaging the inner face of the walldefining the end of the side support and connected with it, by way ofexample, by means of the notches 9.

It will be noted the connecting means 6, 8 are somewhat reduced inthickness with respect to the corner piece 5 and provide abutment facesat the latter against which stave I and side support 4 abut in assembledposition of the heddle.

The ends of the heald assembly rails I fit into suitable holes of theside supports 3, 4. In order that the heald assembly rails consistingof; tempered steel do not work into the relatively soft, thin-walledside-supports, steel sleeves H (Figs. 2 and 3) are provided.

In the modification according to Fig. a longer spigot 8 is provided thanin the aforementioned example, in which case the fitting of a steelsleeve for the reception of the heald assembly rails becomes superfluousin that the ends of the heald assembly rails fit into suitable holes ofsaid spigot, thus preventing damage to the thin walls of the sidesupports.

In the embodiment according to Fig. 6 the spigot 8 of the connectingpiece 5 is provided with a slot [2 and pierced by the heavy tensionsleeve 13, so that the spigot 8 is held resiliently in the side supportand secured against unintentional detachment.

In the modification according to Fig. '7 the connection between thespigot 8 of the connecting piece 5 with the adjacent end of the sidesupport is achieved by means of the screw I4.

In the embodiment according to Fig. 8, the spigot 8 is provided with anexternal thread and the side support 4 takes the form of a tubeengageable with the threads of spigot 8.

By the use of a left and right-hand thread, or of two threads havingdifferent pitches, the distance between the two heald assembly rails 10disposed parallel to each other can be increased or decreased byrotating the two side supports 3 and 4. Besides the speedy assemblingand dismantling of the heddle frame as well as the changing-over to adifferent heald length by using another length of side support, thisexecution has the further advantage that the so-called heald noseclearance can be adjusted 4 according to the type of loom and the weightof the fabric to be woven.

For the protection of the side supports made of light metal againstshock and rubbing actions, the surface subjected to such a stress can,as is shown in Fig, 4, either wholly or partially be provided with aprotection coating [6a. This protection coating can be of plastics,plastic glass, etc.

In the alternative of detail according to Figs. 9 and 10, the connectingpiece 5 has a spigot 8 at its end facing the side support 4. Said spigotis provided with a recess l5 open to the exterior and registrable with arectangular opening M (Fig. 9) provided in one of the adjacent sidewalls of the side support 4.

In the recess 15 the sleeve I1 is slideably arranged. The sleeve H isopen at one end and is under operative influence of the coil spring 18.Said sleeve has a button I9 of rectangular section having a slightlyreduced diameter compared with the sleeve [1, so that the sleeve II, ascan be seen from Fig. 9, comes to lie against the abutment 2!! of thespigot 8 and thus prevents it from dropping out. In the locked positionthe free end of button i9 is level with the adjacent out-side edge ofthe side support 4.

With the heddle loom according to the lastdescribed embodiment, the sidesupports can easily and conveniently be exchanged without the use oftools. This is especially desirable if the heddle frame has to beadjusted to a difierent length of heald. By depressing the button [9against the action of the coil spring 18, said button can be pressedback sufliciently to cancel the lock and to enable the spigot 8 to bedrawn out of the side support 4. In assembling the cross staves and theside supports, the press button I9 snaps automatically into thecorresponding slot or opening l6 of the side support 4 under the actionof the coil spring l8 causing the parts to be locked together.

The alternative of detail according to Fig. 11 differs from the onedescribed above in that two side walls of the side support 4 lyingopposite to each other are provided with slots I6 engaged by the buttonsI9 and IS. The press-button l9 has the sleeve IT at one end, in whichthe sleeve 2| is located for axial displacement. Between thepress-buttons I9, [9' the pre-compressed coil spring I8 is inserted,said coil spring urging the press-buttons l9, l9 into the lockedposition shown in Fig. 11.

The last-described embodiment ensures an absolute secure locking, evenunder the most severe vibrations of the heddle frames.

In the embodiment according to Figs. 12 and 13, a steel wire 22 benttwice at right angles is pro-v vided as a locking means, of which onelimb is fitted into the horizontal hole 23 of the spigot 8 of theconnecting part 5 and the other limb engages a corresponding opening ofthe adjacent side wall of the side support 4 in the locking positionshown in Figs. 12 and 13. The spigot 8 is provided with a vertical andcurved recess 24, so that the vertical arm of the steel wire 22 can bepushed back at least in its lower half in releasing the lock.

It can thus be seen, that there has been provided according to thisinvention a heddle frame having at least one stave and a side support;comprising a corner piece provided with respective connecting means forsaid stave and said side support, said stave and side support beinghollow in cross-section and made of light-weight metal, said connectingmeans being reduced in thickness with respect to said corner piece,whereby respective abutment faces are formed on said corner piece,respectively, said hollow stave and said hollow side support beingengageable with said connecting means and abutting in assembled positionagainst the abutment faces of said corner piece, whereby said stave andsaid side support extend in adjusted position to each other, respectiveconnecting means and respective walls defining said hollow stave andsaid hollow side support forming respective pairs of engageablefrictional means, at least one of said engageable means of each pairbeing provided with integral projecting means frictionally andreleasably maintaining said stave and said side support in said adjustedposition with respect to said corner piece.

Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from thespirit of the present invention and it is intended that such obviouschanges and modifications be embraced by the annexed claims.

What I claim and wish to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A heddle frame having staves and side supports; comprising pairs ofconnecting means each pair provided with a corner piece therebetween,said connecting means forming spigots reduced in thickness with respectto said corner piece and providing respective abutment faces on thelatter, said staves and said side supports being hollow in cross-sectionand made of light weight metal, said spigots extending from said cornerpiece at right angles to each other and being shaped for engagement withthe respective inner walls-defining said hollow staves and said hollowside supports, whereby said supports and said staves are adjusted inposition with respect to each other, and respective friction-producingretaining means arranged within and projecting from the inner walls ofsaid staves and within said side supports for engagement with therespective adjacent spigots of said corner piece to thereby frictionallyand releasably maintain said staves and said side supports in saidadjusted position.

2. A heddle frame according to claim 1, said retaining means including aresilient wire piece bent at right angles to provide two legs, one ofsaid legs being mounted in a substantially horizontal opening within aspigot for engagement with a respective side support, the other legbeing bent to extend exteriorly of said side support and beingregistrable with an opening provided in the latter, to therebyreleasably mount the spigot on the respective side support.

3. A heddle frame having at least one stave and a side support;comprising a corner piece provided with respective connecting means forsaid stave and said side support, said stave and side support beinghollow in cross-section and made of lightweight metal, said connectingmeans being reduced in thickness with respect to said corner piece,whereby respective abutment faces are formed on said corner piece,respectively, said hollow stave and said hollow side support beingengageable with said connecting means and abutting in assembled positionagainst the abutment faces of said corner piece, whereby said stave andsaid side support extend in adjusted position to each other, respectiveconnecting means and respective walls defining said hollow stave andsaid hollow side support forming respective pairs of engageablefrictional means, at least one of said engageable means of each pairbeing provided with integral projecting means frictionally andreleasably maintaining said stave and said side support in said adjustedposition with respect to said corner piece.

4. A heddle frame according to claim 3, wherein said integral projectingmeans are provided on said inner walls of said stave and on said sidesupport.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,707,230 Lowy Apr. 2, 1929 1,852,076 Fernane et a1 Apr. 5,1932 1,988,976 Andrews Jan. 22, 1935 2,216,682 Zurcher et a1 Oct. 1,1940 2,238,706 Ohls Apr. 15, 1941 2,371,032 Davis Mar. 6, 1945 2,385,718Menking Sept. 25, 1945 2,483,857 Turner Oct. 4, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTSNumber Country Date 277,143 Germany Oct. 24, 1913 522,032 Great BritainJune 6, 1940

